Blood and Bullet (Thriller Stories To Keep You up all Night) (In The Line of Fire Book 4)

by Rhiley McCabe

  IN THE LINE OF FIRE

  BLOOD & BULLET

  RHILEY MCCABE

  Copyright © 2020 by Rhiley McCabe

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  About the Author

  CHAPTER ONE

  “What?”

  “Why the hell didn’t you answer immediately?”

  “I’m working.”

  “Have you got him?”

  “Almost. Your phone call just saved the man’s life.”

  “I want you to stand down for a while.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I’m sending one if my guys over to help with the operation. Let him take out the cop. You’ll be his backup to make sure he gets the job done.”

  “You know I don’t…”

  “Let me finish! If he fails, I want you to take him and his companion out. Now, send me the address.”

  “Mm…”

  “I’m sending you his number; call him when you see him arrive and guide him.”

  “I don’t like it. Why the sudden change of plans?”

  “I don’t pay you to think or like anything! Just do what you’re told. Besides, if you hadn’t failed the first time, all this wouldn’t be necessary.”

  Romero clenched his teeth and looked toward fifty-two Lewis street. If Leo hadn’t called, it would be over already. A breeze caught the curtain covering the shattered window he had shot when that woman scrambled to cover the windows. He had missed her on purpose.

  “Fine.” He hung up.

  He stared ahead, contemplating. Something was off. Besides that, Leo’s man wouldn’t spare the woman like he had planned to do…

  Carlos stared at the stranger in the mirror. He hadn’t shaved his hair since he was a kid. And he hadn’t seen himself without a beard in over five years. He looked younger—like his late kid brother. He smiled as fond memories flooded his mind.

  Those were good times. Innocent times…

  “Hey, mon!” Badrick banged against the bathroom door, “You’re taking longer than a woman in there! I need to pee.”

  The door flung open.

  “Whoa…” Badrick looked up at the tall Mexican, “Nobody will recognize you. Now, move out of my way.”

  He pushed past Carlos and tried to shove him out of the way. He might just as well have been a column of granite. Carlos smirked.

  “Move, mon!” Badrick tried to give him another push.

  Carlos chuckled and walked to the living room. He wanted to stroke a hand through his hair, but he found himself sliding it over a bald head. It felt gross.

  Leo’s text finally came through.

  Lewis Street No 52. Romero is waiting for you.

  Carlos rolled his eyes and skulked to the kitchen. He grabbed his phone from the kitchen table and speed-dialed a number.

  “Are you on your way?”

  “Leo, I know what you said before. But this is a bad idea. Do you know what happens to Romero’s associates?”

  “Yes. That’s even more reason for you to do your job properly.”

  “Oh, good, I feel much better now…”

  “I don’t think you understand the gravity of the situation you put me in.”

  “Leo, I…”

  “If you succeed, you have nothing to worry about.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  “Well, then it’s been nice knowing you, kid.”

  Leo took a deep breath after he had hung up the phone. Everything was going according to plan. If Carlos slipped up, Romero would tie up the loose ends that could lead back to him. He felt bad about potentially losing Badrick; it would be hard to replace him, but not impossible. And if they succeeded, his arrangement with Badrick would temporarily get The Syndicate off his back—buy him enough time to disappear.

  He checked his appearance in the mirror and headed downstairs.

  “Gentlemen,” he flashed a confident smile and opened his arms as he took the last few steps, “you shouldn’t have bothered to come all the way here.” He reached out a hand to the man in the middle, “Welcome to my humble abode.”

  The man smirked without extending his own hand. “Oh, but we had to.” He said in an eerily controlled tone with a poker face.

  Leo ignored the shivers taunting his spine and gently retreated his hand to his side.

  “It really wasn’t necessary. I’m sure a man such as yourself has more important matters to attend to.” He said smoothly and signaled the butler, “Have you offered our guests refreshments?”

  “He has. And we want nothing.”

  “Are you sure? I have rare…”

  “Cut the bullshit, Martinez!” The man snapped, “You’ve been sloppy.” The man stepped forward and hurled an iPod Nano at Leo, “You’ve been drawing attention to yourself. You’ve been warned. You’ve ignored the Top Three.”

  “I haven’t ignored them! W—What’s this?” Leo picked up the iPod Nano, eyeing the man’s two deadly silent companions before examining it.

  “It had a recording of you and Thomas Patrick, merrily discussing your incompetence to take out one cop.”

  “Where did you get it?”

  “From the same cop you cannot kill.”

  “Tate, Romero is taking care of it as we speak. After tonight, all potential threats to The Syndicate will be eradicated.”

  “And that’s why we’re here,” Tate gestured to his companions, “to make sure all threats are eradicated.”

  Leo and Tate shared an intensive stare. Leo’s pulse quickened, and he could feel a cold sweat breaking out all over his body. All he could do was nod.

  “Tonight will be a success.” Leo said with confidence.

  Tate arched an eyebrow, “We’ll see.”

  Leo dangled the iPod, “You said it had a recording?”

  Tate smiled, “If only you were so good ad covering your tracks as you are at listening.”

  Leo rolled his eyes.

  “I removed it. It’s safe on an encrypted laptop.”

  “Why didn’t you just delete it?”

  “It seems you need motivation to stay… obedient. So, I’ll hang on to it and make sure you do just that in the future.”

  “If he has a future…” One of Tate’s companions added. The three of them chuckled.

  “Who are they?” Leo asked, pointing to the two men.

  “Oh, sorry for my lack of manners… Boys, this is Leo Martinez. Leo, this is Jack and Paul, the most efficient assassins at The Syndicate’s disposal. After Romero Sanchez, of course.”

  “The notorious Blood Brothers. I am honored…” Leo said through clenched teeth.

  A few years back, an Arabian prince went against The Syndicate’s rules. It almost revealed the leaders, the members and their activities all over the world. They found out about it and put a bounty of three million dollars on his head. The prince ran to seek asylum in Yemen. He ended up dead alongside five thousand others who were in the same location at the time.

  The world thought it was a bio weapon terrorist attack, but everyone in the underworld knew it was the Blood Brothers that did it. Nobody knew how they did it, but th
ey did it.

  Leo stared intently at the brothers. He walked shakily to an armchair and slouched down. They were in his house to get rid of him. Everything depended on whether Carlos and Romero would be successful in getting rid of Detective Jason Williams.

  CHAPTER TWO

  “He’s lost his damn mind!” Carlos furiously hit the dashboard.

  “Hey, mon!” Badrick slapped his head, “Don’t damage my truck.”

  Carlos stared at him incredulously. They were on their way to Lewis street in the Hilux he had escaped in from prison. The truck was dented all over—not exactly a well-looked-after machine.

  “That’s what Leo said. And we’d better follow his orders. I don’t think you’ll survive another day if you don’t. You’re on thin ice with the big mon.”

  Carlos clenched his jaw. Leo wasn’t a match for his crew… Maybe it was time to take him out, instead.

  “Hey, mon. I know that look on your face. I’ve seen it many times before. Don’t be stupid.”

  “He’s the one being stupid! What’s he thinking, trying to kill the deadliest assassin alive?”

  “It’s about survival. Every man in the underworld will do anything to survive. Look at what you did.”

  “Would you, Badrick?”

  “Would I what?”

  “Do anything to survive?”

  “No. I have nothing to lose. I just go where there’s money and lots of blood to be spilled. If I die while on a job… It’s the best way to go, anyway!” Badrick roared with laughter.

  Carlos turned around and eyed the two men sitting at the back, oblivious to the chilly night air.

  “The four of us, can we do it?”

  “Of course. One person could do it. It’s all about strategy, mon.”

  “Good. You do it then, we’ll wait at the nearest bar until you’re done.”

  Badrick laughed. Carlos just stared ahead blankly. He’d heard about The Syndicate. Leo invited him to a meeting once. He wasn’t interested. Apparently, if you got in with them, you’d be all powerful and rich. But more than money and power, Carlos wanted freedom. He didn’t like the idea of being owned, which was the impression he had gotten about The Syndicate. Being Leo’s subordinate was bad enough—let alone having to be accountable to a whole panel of greedy freaks.

  “That’s number 30. Switch off the lights and drive slowly.” Carlos said.

  The street was quiet. That would count in their favor. They came to a standstill across the house.

  “Looks like the fun started without us,” Badrick pointed to the curtains dancing in the light breeze.

  “Where is this guy?” Carlos said irritated and got out of the truck. He slammed the door. Badrick threw his arms in the air inside and then hit one palm against his forehead. He jumped out, leaving his own door open.

  “What the hell was that?!” He whispered, “You said to be quiet!”

  “Look at that, Badrick!” He pointed to the shattered window, “What makes you think he’s still in there?”

  The two men jumped off from the back and looked around.

  Carlos fumbled in his pocket and brought his phone up to his ear, “Yeah?”

  “Good of you to come. I was getting impatient.” A guttural voice said. Carlos had never met Romero before, but it could only be him.

  “Where are you?” Carlos circled a few times, scanning the area.

  “Don’t tire yourself, you won’t see me. I’m in position in case you mess up. The cop is hurt and has nowhere to go.”

  “When are you coming to us?”

  “I’m not.”

  Carlos clenched his jaw. How would they explain that to Leo?

  “Can we get a move on? I haven’t got all night.” Romero hissed.

  Carlos hated him immediately. He detested it when people disrespected him. He hung up the phone. “I’ll slit your throat and remove your tongue…”

  “What’s that?” Badrick asked.

  Carlos turned to him, “Nothing.” He looked to the two men with them, “You two, go check out the house.”

  The two cautiously crossed the street. As they neared the broken window to enter, they fell to the ground—almost in unison.

  “What the hell?!” Badrick was infuriated and readied himself to dash toward the house. Carlos grabbed the back of his shirt and plucked him back. He fell to the ground. Carlos kneeled next to him as a bullet hit the truck a few inches from them.

  “Shit! That asshole wants to kill us.” Carlos said.

  “He must’ve figured out Leo sent us to take him out…” Badrick grunted as he got up on his heels.

  “We must leave.” Carlos tried to get into the truck where Badrick had left his door open, but another shot shattered the passenger side’s window, barely missing him. He took cover again. Carlos and Badrick both looked around. There were no trees or other cars nearby. The Hilux was their only protection.

  Beatrice stared in horror at her laptop monitor. Two bodies were lying in front of her house, and across the street shots were being fired at a Hilux.

  “Beatrice, talk to me!”

  The sharp pain in Jason’s hand made him feel light in the head. He reached for another towel on the floor next to him, removed the one soaked in blood and wrapped the clean one around his hand.

  “They’re dead!”

  “What? Who’s dead?”

  “I don’t know! There are two dead guys outside my house…”

  “That doesn’t make sense.”

  “Are you calling me a liar?!”

  “No! That’s not what I—Urgh!” He threw his gun to the side in frustration. His good hand had been shot, and he couldn’t get a decent grip with all the blood.

  “Can you shoot?”

  “No, no way!”

  Jason sighed. It was no use calling for backup. They’d be dead by the time anyone arrived. They were trapped. Someone had blocked the only other exit from the outside. The same person who shot his hand, no doubt…

  “Shit!”

  “Sorry, but I didn’t know that one day I’d be caught in the middle of a crossfire between a cop and men trying to kill him.” She retorted.

  “I’m sorry; it’s not your fault. I’m not angry with you… I’m just frustrated.”

  “What are we going to do?” Beatrice pleaded.

  “We can’t do anything… Those two dead guys, were they going to enter the house?”

  “Yeah, looked like it.”

  “At least someone seems to be on our side.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Who killed those guys who wanted to come in? It wasn’t me, and it obviously wasn’t you. I don’t hear gunshots, so it’s not a shootout. There must be a sniper who took them out.”

  “Cops?”

  “No. No one knows that I came here. Except…” Jason disappeared in thought.

  “Except what?”

  “Someone was trying to follow my trail earlier. I thought I’d lost him, but…”

  Beatrice stared at Jason with fearful eyes. He felt guilty for putting her in a life-threatening situation. “You should leave. Climb out a window if you must. They’re not after you.”

  “Um, yes, they are! Did you forget about the recording you heard earlier?”

  “Yeah, but they don’t know who you are, Beatrice. Go, get out of here.”

  “I’m not leaving you.”

  “Are you kidding me? It wasn’t a request.”

  “And you don’t get to tell me what to do. I’m staying.”

  “To die? That’s stupid.”

  “I’d like to think it’s romantic.”

  Romero had put two-and-two together after Leo informed him someone would join him. The man was scared and wanted to get rid of him. And he’d sent the arrogant Mexican below to kill him—big mistake.

  He scanned the streets. There were no police vehicles approaching, so the cop probably didn’t call for backup. He examined the Hilux through his gun scope again. Carlos and the guy with him were still
hiding behind it. He shot the front and back wheels facing toward him, and another one into the hood. That would keep them there long enough… He packed up his gear.

  Jason unwrapped another bloody towel from his hand. Most of the bleeding had finally stopped. He tried to stretch his hand.

  “Ah!” Blood started running again.

  He sat back in frustration, eyes closed, not bothered to cover it up again. A floor plank creaked. His eyes shot open to meet a tall figure dressed in black. His face was covered. Instinctively, Jason reached for his holster. He chuckled faintly when he remembered he had thrown his gun to the side earlier. His gaze shifted to it for a moment.

  You would never make it. Even if you did, your hand is useless…

  “Where’s the girl?” The figure looked around.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jason stared up at him, expressionless.

  “There’s no…”

  A hollow thud came from the figure’s back. He kept his focus on Jason as Beatrice lifted the bat in her hands for another go. The second hit was a little higher and hit him at the base of his neck. He let out a slight grunt.

  He pointed a finger at Jason, “Don’t do anything stupid.”

  He turned around and caught the bat as it was about to come down again. Beatrice tried her best to wiggle it loose, but he was too strong for her. He got the bat out of her hand and lowered it. Jason had got to his gun but struggled to get a proper hold of it. The man in black threw the bat to the other side of the room and quickly removed the balaclava from his head.

  “Oooh my goodness!” Beatrice’s exclamation sounded more like excitement than fear.

  Jason aimed his gun at the man’s head.

  “Wait, Jason! Don’t shoot him!” Beatrice held her arms up defensively. The man turned around to face Jason. He had a deep scar along his left check and dark, deadly eyes.

  “Jason! He won’t hurt us…” Beatrice tried again.

  Jason didn’t lower the gun, but his gaze shifted to Beatrice, “You don’t know that…”

  “Yes, I do! I saved his life. And I think he’s here to return the favor.”